Living at Baxendale Care Home – Things to Do in the Local Area

Baxendale Care Home, a caring home in North London, is situated in a quiet corner of Whetstone. Here, we look at the history of the suburb and its facilities, which might be suitable for residents who are able to get out and about.

Whetstone’s Past

There are a number of conflicting theories over the origin of Whetstone’s name.

Some believe it got its name from the Wars of the Roses, when soldiers on their way to fight in the nearby Battle of Barnet made camp here. They allegedly used a large sharpening-block, or whetstone, to sharpen their weapons before going into battle. Some say the remains of the stone are outside The Griffin pub on the High Road.

However, others believe this stone is a mounting block which was used to help travellers get down from their horse-drawn carriages, as the area was an important route out of London and The Griffin was then a well-known coaching inn and stopping point for travellers.

Another theory is that the name Whetstone is connected to the Hospitallers, an ancient Catholic military order originally based in nearby Friern Barnet. The order was forced to move further west in the 14th Century. Their ‘West Town’ eventually became ‘Whetstone’

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Whetstone’s Present

Whetstone is now one of the most sought-after areas of North London to live in. In the year 2000, the borough was identified as being the 63rd richest ward in the whole of the UK. Much of this can be put down to the number of millionaires who live on Totteridge Lane in the borough.

Whetstone’s excellent transport links (the Totteridge and Whetstone underground station is the penultimate stop on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line) means it remains an extremely popular place for homebuyers. There is a varied mix of properties in the area, including Victorian terraced houses and more modern developments.

These transport links also make Baxendale Care Home a very easy place to visit for friends and family of our residents.

Whetstone’s Facilities

There are also plenty of local shops and familiar high street names nearby, including a Waitrose, a Marks & Spencer, a Boots and a Post Office located near us. There’s also plenty of independent shops, cafes and restaurants for eat-out options.

There’s also a public park – the Swan Lane Open Space – which has a children’s playground, café and pond, making this park a great option for our residents looking to get out for a gentle stroll. And at the southern end of Whetstone is the North Finchley library.

The main churches in Whetstone are St John the Apostle Church, and the Catholic St Mary Magdalen Church, which are either on or near the High Road. At Baxendale, we organise regular visits to local religious centres to enable our residents to worship and continue practising their religion.

We also arrange excursions to the theatre and local pubs, ensuring that our residents have plenty of opportunities to enjoy everything the local area has to offer.

Activities in Baxendale Care Home

If you aren’t able to get out and about too often, there’s plenty to do within Baxendale Care Home as well.

We operate a full programme of social activities – including arts and crafts, bingo, cooking and singing around the piano. We have a variety of visitors, from musicians and singers to aerobics instructors – and even pet therapists.

We also have visits from local schoolchildren and make sure we celebrate special days at Christmas, Halloween and other major events of the year.

However, despite all these exciting visits, Baxendale is incredibly secure. For security reasons, entrance to Baxendale is exclusively through a controlled access system, while a private on-site car park is always available for visitors and staff.

Living At Baxendale, a Caring Home in North London

If you would like to know more about life in Baxendale Care Home in Whetstone (and Whetstone itself), follow this link and fill in the online form. You can also call us on 020 8445 1127 or email us at info@baxendalecare.org.uk.